The long-reigning holder of this crown, it appears as though the Game of Thrones cannot shake it off no matter what they try, with news that the HBO fantasy drama is once more the show to beat when it comes to having its content pirated more than any other programme.

It is claimed by online activity research specialists Semetric in a new report that the show is still receiving around 300,000 separate downloads each day, even at a point where the fourth season finale was premeired two months ago.

Having held the top spot through 2012and 2013as well, the Wall Street Journal claim that Game of Thrones‘ peak in the piracy game was being downloaded more often than all music downloads on BitTorrent, and representing over half of all TV show-related download activity.

Meanwhile, in true Netflix fashion, the report from Semetric also came up with the different shows that Game of Thrones fans ‘may also like’ based on the trail of their illegitimacy. It was noted that amongst Game of Thrones downloaders’ favourite other shows to pirate were fellow cable shows Black Sails (the aptly-named series broadcast on Starz), Vikings (History), The Walking Dead (AMC), and Archer (FX).

Movies that Game of Thrones fans were particularly partial to online included Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Ender’s Game, and Knights of Badassdom, although in both statistics it could be argued that their effectiveness as a study into Game of Thrones fans’ preferences is diminished considering the earlier fact that they are a large proportion of the site’s userbase.

Away from the ‘market leader’, it was found that in terms of overall downloads, movies were still the most popular format to take a questionable download of (40%), although not too far ahead of TV shows (29%), whilst PC video games (14%) and eBooks (5%) were the other biggest entertainment mediums in this measurement, ‘other’ in this instance naturally being the remaining 12%.

But within those statistics, there is one show that cannot seem to help but be the most dominant. Is it a positive note for them based on high quality and interest, or a negative that those downloaders in all likelyhood aren’t contracted to HBO? The latter theory must really get their goat…

AMC‘s popular zombie drama The Walking Dead is naturally looking to cash in and promote itself through every major opportunity going, with their latest confirmed event being on which continues on from something they have done for two years previously.

That is heading to Universal Studios Orlando (USA), and appearing as part of their seasonal ‘Halloween Horror Nights’ attraction (pictured featuring parody film The Cabin in the Woods) for the 3rd year in a row, but this time confirmed as the headliner.

Taking place across the theme park in autumn evenings, the Halloween Horror Nights incorporates a number of attractions including ‘terrifying mazes’ complete with hundreds of ‘scareactors’, that reenact and reinvent famous horror movie/TV show moments for interactive audiences, not too dissimilar to what you would imagine goes on here.

This year, Universal are showing their faith in the cable network’s current prized asset by allowing it headlining status of the Halloween maze, an experience for visitors that is set to be ‘inspired’ by the show’s most recent 16-episode fourth season.

A quote from an official press release by Universal Studios Orlando regarding the matter read: “This year’s bone-chilling maze will place guests at the heart of a harrowing journey to seek sanctuary at Terminus, an elusive destination that promises community for all. Mirroring the terror that befell the residents of the West Georgia Correctional Facility, now overrun by savage walkers, the experience will send guests fleeing from the fallen prison into unknown territory as they once again stage a desperate battle for survival against flesh-eating walkers and ruthless humans.

“The engrossing cult favourite television series will seep into other parts of Universal’s backlot, with predatory walkers prowling the secluded wooded areas of the movie studio. Terror Tram: Invaded by the Walking Dead will send guests on the daunting path to Terminus, interspersed with landmarks and walkers from Season 4, including the ‘burned moonshine cabin’, ‘charred walkers’ and ‘mud walkers’.”

Celebrating becoming the most-used show/movie to be featured as Halloween Horror’s main attraction through its third appearance, The Walking Dead executive producer Greg Nicotero stated: “This has been an incredible collaboration and I am thrilled to be working once again with the creative teams at Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood to bring the world of The Walking Dead to our dedicated fans. I can’t wait for visitors to experience first-hand some of the iconic moments from Season 4 in what will be the biggest, most exciting and frightening Walking Dead maze to date.”

Of course, by then those visitors who are Walking Dead fans will be talking about season 5… but it is always good to look back every now and then:

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In an attempt to gain the stability more like a TV series, the popular webshow Epic Rap Battles of History has over the last year-and-a-half moved to release episodes on YouTube via a fortnightly regular schedule. And to kick off the resumption of that method at the start of their 6-episode ‘Season 3.5′, they have made a 40th battle that pits together two of the biggest shows on non-premium cable TV.

More specifically, it is the leading characters of those two shows that are in the spotlight, with zombie thriller The Walking Dead‘s Deputy Sheriff Rick Grimes lyrically facing off against Walter White, of recently-concluded black comedy Breaking Bad, both cult shows of course belonging to the network AMC.

The characters are played respectively by Epic Rap Battles of History co-creators NicePeter and EpicLLOYD (rather than the faces of Andrew Lincoln and Bryan Cranston that fans might be more familiar with).

And with no surprise ‘third entries’ that ERBoH episodes are notable for (where Mad Men‘s Don Draper may have been a good bet to complete a triple-crown of popular current AMC shows), it is a straight face-off between the two well-known cable shows, perhaps veering slightly from the ‘history’ part of the webseries’ name, but there is always the consideration that these characters will become history in due time.

The battle has already attracted over 6 million viewers (numbers Breaking Bad was struggling to reach until its final season, The Walking Dead… not so much) since launching on Monday, and your chance to add to that number is below. Surely people who have seen all episodes of both shows will be able to recognise the references in these rhymes and be able to laugh at them, but while both competitors hit hard, who’s hitting hardest?

And to mirror the concept shown above, below is a high-stakes rap battle featured on a cable TV show:

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They have been responsible for ‘preserving the integrity’ of Chinese broadcasting for some time now, and have brainstormed ideas ranging from limiting ‘trash TV’, lowering the level of foreign-imported content, and banning time travel movies/TV shows (because China has a rich history therefore viewers should not be influenced that it is possible to alter the past), and the latest edition to the catalogue of changes made by the national broadcasting regulators.

The ‘State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television’ (SAPPRFT, a merger of SARFT (pictured) and GAPP) have enforced a ruling that will see four ‘popular American TV shows’ banned on video streaming sites within the Asian country.

SAPPRFT have not offered a reason for their banning at present, but it is believed that the clampdown on programming online is a signal of intent from the regulators, with government-backed moves identifying the online viewing industry as an important area of broadcasting that should not be exempt from the body’s regulations.

One of Youkou’s rival websites were also affected by the takedowns, with a senior manager (speaking on anonymity), claiming that the purpose was for the SAPPRFT to ‘clean their [streaming] website’.

However, being an equal-opportunities remover of content, the order also included an online original ‘slapstick miniseries’ produced and broadcast by the website Sohu, amongst other locally-produced items throughout the history of their ‘cleaning’ agenda.

Such requests are usually made of broadcasters on regular occurrence, with SAPPRFT considering some content to be either a copyright infringment or ‘too salacious or violent’ for broadcasting purpose, though Sohu’s most popular shows (including American spy drama Nikita and black comedy period drama Masters of Sex, and elsewhere programmes such as House of Cards and The Walking Dead) have not been given a banning order in the latest batch.

But for the shows that have, it might be a while yet before they are (legally) seen again by Chinese audiences online, with no clear reasoning given for why they were removed, though disgruntled audience theories are already suggesting that it may be down to the portrayal of an ‘overly Western living style’, or that dubbed versions of some shows featured in the ban are believed to be airing on the nation’s biggest channel CCTV later this week. And you thought this lot were bad:

As their fourth season rolled into a successful close ratings-wise this week (with Sunday’s episode “A” drawing in 15.68m viewers), zombie drama series The Walking Dead are already looking ahead not only to a fifth season, but also to a spinoff show, according to the franchise’s original creator.

Robert Kirkman, the man behind the comic book that introduced the world to The Walking Dead brand in 2003, has been recruited to work alongside writer/producer Dave Erickson (best known for his work on Sons of Anarchy) in the proposed spinoff.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, he said of the upcoming partnership: “I have been a huge fan of Dave Erickson for many, many years. He was the best possible guy for the job and I’m very excited about this idea of doing this companion show for The Walking Dead.”

The untitled spinoff show for AMC was originally announced in September 2013 at the start of the main series’ fourth run, with promises that there will be key alterations between the two formats, the new show taking on ‘different new angles’ and being able to portray ‘new kind[s] of stories’, as Kirkman at the time summarised: “I think people are going to be pretty taken aback by how cool this companion show can be.”

More recently, the concept has also been described by Kirkman as ‘exciting’, ‘unique’, and ‘stand-alone’. Whether those qualities (some easier to fulfill than others) will be able to be represented remains to be seen, though a more stable viewpoint will be that of the ‘main’ version, which will retain familiarity in unpredictability whilst attempting to step up a level in areas such as action scenes.

The Walking Dead‘s returning showrunner Scott Gimple, who will oversee the run premiering later this year, yesterday said of what viewers can expect from season 5: “I would say that these next eight episodes are going to be a little more action-heavy, with a lot of big twists. Really 85% of [the survivors] are together again, so it’s a pretty good guess that they’re going to remain together and that’s going to give us a whole new emotional dynamic as well.”

While it may have a more stable platform from which to build, the fifth season of The Walking Dead will still have a reputation to maintain when it comes on-air, though like it’s spin-off it will not be for a while yet, so fans of the show wishing to tide themselves over will just have to make do with reliving the most recent installments, as trailered below. Viewing the franchise through a highly-successful alternate platform is also an option…

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The Walking Dead returns tonight on AMC at 9PM after its half season ending of season 4 left viewers and fans in shock and disbelief.

(Spoilers ahead)… In the last half of the season the prison was just recovering from the latest virus they had come upon when the governor returned to seek his revenge. Many fans were angry and sad when the governor cut off Hershel’s head after Rick refused to leave the prison.

Many people are predicting that Judith might’ve made it out alive after in the last scene where she was seen was bloody and full of walkers. It has been confirmed also that the Governor is still alive and will be back again and survived the prison somehow.

Some rumors about the past have come out that in episode 9 it will show that Lori had survived the birth of Judith and was escaping with her baby but something other than a walker killed her. The fate of Carl, Rick and Michhone will be decided tonight in the new episode so don’t forget to watch it on AMC at 9PM!